CHICKEN AND CHEESE ENCHILADAS
These enchiladas are very flavorful with the seasonings and peppers, and mild sauce, but feel free to make them spicier with extra chilies and chili powder.
Ingredients:
3 cups chicken breast, chopped
2 4-ounce cans green Ortega chilies, chopped
1½ cups Jack cheese, grated
1½ cups cheddar cheese, grated
1 16-ounce can red enchilada sauce
¼ cup light sunflower oil
2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves
1 teaspoon powdered cumin
½ teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup cheddar cheese, grated for topping
12 small corn tortillas
¼ cup butter
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
Directions:
Trim any additional fat or skin off of the chicken breasts. In a large frying pan heat the oil and add the chopped chicken, thyme, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder and salt. Cook until light brown. Grate the cheeses, but set aside ¼ of the cheddar cheese for the topping. Blend the green chilies with the other cheeses and set aside. If the sesame seeds need to be toasted, place them in a small dry fry pan and shake on a low heat until toasted. Remove them from the pan as soon as they turn tan and set aside to cool. Prepare a 9” x 13” baking pan by pouring enough of the red enchilada sauce into the pan just to coat it. This will keep the enchiladas from sticking.
In a large frying pan melt a tablespoon of butter and heat 3 corn tortillas at a time, just enough to coat them with the butter and make them soft and pliable. Set them aside on paper towels, and continue to do the same for each of the tortillas, lining them up, side by side. Let them cool enough to handle. Prepare each of the tortillas by placing ¼ cup of the chicken, a ¼ cup of the cheese and chili mixture onto each tortilla. Pour 1 tablespoon of enchilada sauce over each one to moisten the enchilada. Roll each tortilla up evenly with the filling. Carefully place them seam side down into the baking dish. When all the filled tortillas are in the dish pour the remainder of the enchilada sauce over all and cover with the cheddar cheese for the topping. Sprinkle the toasted sesame seeds on top. This dish can be made a day ahead of time up to this point. When ready to cook place the baking pan in a 375°F (190°C) oven for 15 minutes until the cheese on top begins to bubble.
Correspondences:
The butter is of water, the chicken is earth of air, the Jack and cheddar cheeses are of earth, and the thyme is air of earth. The seasonings of chili powder, chilies, cumin, garlic, sunflower oil, and sesame seeds are all of fire, and the corn flour in the tortillas and the garlic powder are air of fire. Enchilada sauce is made primarily of chili powder, which is of fire, and tomato paste, which is water of air, making the sauce water of fire.
